Automobile-starter.



F. W. SMITH.

AUTOMOBILE STARTER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1915. RENEWED FEB.11,1916.

1,176,929. E Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N 1 1| I O F. W. SMITH.

AUTOMOBILE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19. 1915. RENEWED FEB. 11,1916.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

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FLOYD W. SMITH, F DAYTON, OHIO.

' AUTOMOBILE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

Application filed April 19, 1915, Serial No. 22,276. Renewed February11, 1916. Serial No. 77,793.

'. To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FLOYD W. SMITH, acitizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county ofMontgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and. usefulImprovements in Automobile- Starters; and I do declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to; improvements in starting mechanism forexplosive engines and comprises a spring-propelled mechanism, and springrewinding mechanism to be heree inafter fully described in connectionwith the accompanying drawings.

The object of the invention is primarily to provide a type ofspring-actuated starter which enables the transmission of one or morerevolutions to theengine shaft in starting the same and which may betransmitted at the will of the operator.

Other objects and advantages are accomplished, such as effecting arewinding of the motor spring, all due to a construction and arrangementof the mechanism as will appear from a particular description of themechanism hereinafter set forth in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontalsectional elevation of my'improved engine starting mechanism; Fig. 2 isa sectional View on the line b-?) of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a similarsectional view on the line-cc ofFigl ;Fig. 4 isa similar sectional viewon the line d-d of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modified form of locking means for thespring Winding shaft; Fig. 6 is a detail VlGW showing the means i forcushioning the escapement member; and

Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of said es- -capement memberthrough'means of which the spring is released to apply the necessaryforce for the starting operation. In a detail description of theinvention, similar reference characters indicate corresponding partsboth in the description and the drawings.

The starting shaft 1 is journaled in a suitable casing 3 and hasconnected to one end thereof the inner terminal of a convolute powerspring 2 whichisinclosed within; a

drum 4 to a suitable point of which the other end of said spring isattached. The drum 4 has a. suitable connection with an interiorlyscrew-threaded member or nut 5. The said drum 4 has also connected tothe inner face thereof an outer ring 6 which forms one member of aroller clutch. The other member of said clutch consists of an innermember 7 which is stationary, being attached to the casing 3, and intheperiphery of which there is a series of recesses 8 within which lie aseriesof gripping rollers 9. The other end of the starting shaft 1 has achain wheel 10 running loose thereon and receiving a chain through meansof which a transmission connection is made to the engine shaft; neitherthe chain nor the engine shaft being shown asth'ese are well knownelements and it is thought need no illustration or more than incidentalmention. Also running loosely upon the shaft 1 is a gear 11 and an innerroller clutch member 12. These members 10, 11 and 12 are shown connectedone with the other so that they-move in unison. Cooperating with theinner clutch member 12 is an outer clutch member 13 which is pinned orotherwise rigidly connected to the shaft 1 and between these two clutchmembers a series of gripping rollers 14 are lo cated within recesses 15formed in the periphery of the member 12. On the said shaft 1 adjacentto the clutch member 13, an escapement member lGismounted to rotate withsaid shaft, the mounting being by means of a series of feathers 17 whichenter corresponding recesses in said member. The escapement member 16has a peripheralcam groove 18' therein which extends to form a shoulder19. Cotiperatingwith said peripheral groove 18 is a pin 20 on an arm 27which is loose upon a telescopic shaft 28 which fits over the reducedshaft portion 22'. The shaft portions22 and 22' constitute one integralmember and the telescopic shaft 28 is connected with an operating lever29. The hub 27 of the arm 27 has a recess 30 forming a shoulder which isadapted to engage a plunger 31 carried in a pocket in an actuatingmember 32 and normally pressed outward by the spring- 33. The actuatingmember 32 is mounted on the telescoped shaft 28 to rotate therewith.

The movement of the operating lever 29 from the first position to thesecond position, shown in Fig. 1, causes the plunger311toengage.thexsh'oulder formed by the. re.-

cess and the continued movement of said lever 29 to the third positionrelea'sl's tlie" pin 20 from the shoulder '19 of the cam groove in theescapement member and gives the shaft 1 over to'the influenceof thespring 2 at which time power is transmitted from said shaft to the shaftof the engine (not shown). It will be understood that the shaft 1receives a complete rotation from themotor spring during which afloating screw 26 is moved to the extent of one thread by the nut 5.From this operation the lever 29 is moved from the second position tothe third and to repeat the number of revolutions to be given the shaft1 when necessary, such movement of the lever 29 from the second to thethird position is repeated. 7 x

Within the escapement member 16 is placed cushioning springs 49 locatedbe tween the said feathers 17. These springs are fixed to the featherson opposite sides thereof and serve to cushion the escapementmember'when any excessive movement might be' imparted thereto. The gear11 meshes with a gear 34: which is fast upon a counter shaft 35journaled in the casing-3.

- The shaft 35 is the rewinding shaft for the spring. The inner surfaceof the gear 3%li's tapered to provide a clutching surfacethatcoijperates with an inner clutch member 36 having a sleeve extension37 which is recessed to receive an expansion spring 38 surrounding thatportion ofthe shaft 35. The said spring exerts a force on the clutchmember 36 to cause it to engage the gear 34. The said clutch member 36and its sleeve ex? tension are mounted to rotate with the shaft 35but tohave slidable movement thereon to disengage the clutch members. Thespring 38 is maintained within the sleeve 37 by a washer 39 and a nut40, the latter being threaded to the shaft 35 and of a' diameter topermitthe sleeve 37 to slide thereon. Engaging said sleeve is a stud 4:1carried on a shiftinglever 21"journaled on the enlarged portion 22 ofthe shaft 22'.

The lever 21 "terminates at its upper end in a sleeve 23 which isournaled upon said enlarged shaft portion 22. An arm 2 1 also extendsfrom the sleeve 23 of the lever 21 and may be an integral part thereof.The lever 21, sleeve '23 and arm'2et move in unison. The arm 24 carriesa roller 25 that lies in the path of the 7 giveaoveria the infliienceofsaid spring 2.

Tlie' c ounter shaft 35 carries a pinion 12 which m'esh'es with a gear43 fast on the nut ripheral recess 44-, best shown in Fig. 1, and

the sleeve portion 23 of the arm 21 has a recess 45 which is adaptedtor'eceiveaclutch ball d6. -The actuating member 32 carries 0.Theenlargedshaft portion 22 has a pe-' an arc-sl1aped portion 47 whichextends over" the clutch-ball 46:and is provided with'a recess %8 whichis adapted to move out of alinement-with the recess 4A in: the shaft 22and to clutch theball 16 against the shaft portion 22. V i r s i V \Vhenthe recesses 44 and 48 are in alinement,'the clutch-ball 46 will notlock the shaft 22 and at such timethejinner clutch member 36 is throwninto engagement with the clutch surface ofthegear 34s by the action ofthe spring 38. The counter shaft 35 is then driven from the shaft ltorewind the spring 2. 7 When the part 4:7 of the actuating member 32'isin the position shown j in Flg. 1, the arm 21 is held 1n POSltlOIl jwith the clutch member 36 separated from the gear 3% during which timethe motor spring2f-is free to turn the shaft 1 to furnish'the startingpower. V

In Fig. 5,1 have illustrated a modification of the means for controllingthe rewindingoperation. 1 Instead of the arm 21 andthe parts cooperatingtherewith in con'- trolling the clutch member 36,;a, series of" toggle'connections are' incorporated; The slidable clutch member'36 hasconnected to the sleeve37 thereof a shifting lever 57O'pivoted at '51to: a suitable part of the casing.

The said lever 50 is pivoted at'52 to the sleeve 37 and also to togglelevers 53, and 5a, the adjacent ends of which are pivoted to the endofan angularleverc55. Theangular lever 55 is pivoted at 56 and engagingthe under surface thereof 1s a' roller 57 the journal of which lieswithinan elongated slot 58 in the end of a lever59. The 'lever59performs substantially the same function as the. arm 21and is pivoted at60 to a suitable part. The lever59 has a crank arn1f61f1id V is operatedfromthe floating screw 26. 111 a V manner similar to the operation ofthe arm 24 and arm 21, hereinbefore described. The

floating screw 26 engages an arm-6l;which 7 H 1s fixed to the p1vot'60andas said screw enj gages the arm 61 the lever 59 is mofvedon -one sideof thepivot 56 Zof theang-ular lever 55. The roller 57 is mounted at thelower end of a spring 64, the other end of whichisf secured to asuitable part of thecasing. When said roller 57 V is on one side of thepivot 56, thetoggleconnection 5354 shifts the clutch member 36 in onedirection and when said roller is on the other side'of. the pivot 56,thesaid clutch member is shifted in the opposite direction and thus theengagement and disengagement of -the rewinding clutch members arecontrolled. The pin 20 operating in'connectio-n with the escapementmember 16, moves the operating lever back to the second position. Thepurpose of the lever is to. afford means for throwing the pin over. tothe opposite side of the cam groove thereby releasing the escapementmember and allowing the starting shaft to make another completerevolution when necessary for starting purposes.

When the engine controls the rewinding shaft, the train of gears on thestarting shaft 1, to-wit, 10 and 11, and the clutch member 12 will runloose relative to the shaft 1, owing to the disengagement of theclutches l2 and 13. After the'engine becomes heated, the lever 29 ismoved to the extreme left, as in Fig. 1, and the'spring 88 will set theclutch member 36 thereby effecting a rewinding of the motor spring 2.

. During the rotation of the drum 1,the floating screw 26 will becaused, by the nut 5, to travel along the shaft 1 until it rocks thearms 24 and 21 thereby resetting the clutch member 36, at which time themotor spring 2 is-completely rewound.

While I have with more or less particularity described my improvedengine starting mechanism, I do not wish to limit myself. to unnecessarydetails which may be varied more or less without departing from theunderlying principles of my invention. These contemplate the employmentof a spring motor and cooperating mechanism through the instrumentalityof which one or more complete revolutions may be imparted to thestarting shaft from the spring; also, means for controlling therewinding of the motor spring at will or after the engine has gainedsufficient momentum to be able to rewind the spring without danger ofstop ping the engine.

Having described my invention, I claim.

1. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with astarting shaft, and a motor spring connected thereto, of escapementmechanism adapted to permit said shaft to intermittently rotate, andmeans for transmitting the movement from said starting shaft to' adriven shaft when the starting shaft is under the influence of saidspring, substantially as described.

2. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with astarting shaft, and a motor spring adapted to actuate said shaft, of atransmission gear loose on said shaft, an escapement mechanism mountedon said shaft and adapted to permit said shaft to intermittently rotate,and means controlled by said escapement member whereby the saidtransmission gear is locked to the shaft when said shaft is actuated bythe motor spring, substantially as described.

3. In a starting mechanism, the combination with a starting shaft, and amotor spring for driving said shaft, of a loose transmission gear onsaid shaft, a clutch on said shaft connected with said gear,anescapement member mounted on said shaft and adapted to permit saidshaft to intermittently rotate, and means for limiting the movement ofsaid escapement member, substantially as described.

1. In a starting mechanism, the combination with a spring driven shaft,of an escapement member mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, meanscooperating with said escapement member controlling the amount'ofrotation given the shaft by said spring, a transmission gear loose onsaid shaft, and clutch members interposed between said escapement memberand said gear by means of which the said gear is caused to move with theshaft, substantially as described.

5. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with astarting shaft, and a motor spring for driving the same, of anescapement member mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith and adaptedto permit said shaft to intermittently rotate, a loose runningtransmission gear on saidshaft, a clutch adapted to cause the gear andshaft to move in unison, and means cooperating with said escapementmember and effecting a disengagement of said clutch whereby said shaftis limited in its movement, substantially as described;

6. In a starting mechanism, the combination with a starting shaft, and aspring motor for driving the same, of an escapement member rotatablewith the shaft and a pin controlling the amount of movement imparted tosaid shaft by said spring, an operating lever, and means controlledthereby for placing the pin in a position to start said escapementmember and said shaft after a complete rotation of the shaft,substantially as described.

7. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with astarting shaft, and spring motor for'driving said shaft, of atransmission gear loose on said shaft, an escapement device moving withsaid shaft and limiting the amount of rotation thereof,

means for synchronizing the movement of said gear and shaft, and meansfor rewinding the motor spring from said transmission gear after thestarting movement of the shaft is completed, substantially as specified.

8. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with astarting shaft and a spring motor for driving said shaft, of atransmission gear loose on said shaft, a

clutch controlling said gear when the spring i controls the shaft,escapement devices controlling the extent of rotation imparted to saidshaft by said spring, and means operated from said transmission gear forrewinding the spring at the completion of a starting 'operation of 'saidshaft, substantially as specified. is

9. In a mechanism of the classspecified, the combination with a startingshaft, a motor spring for'driving said shaft, a drum inclosing saidspring and to which said spring is attached, a normally loose runningtransmission gear on said shaft, means for limiting the amount ofrotation of said shaft by said spring, a floating screw on said shaft,means carried onthe spring drum to torotate with said shaft, anescap'ement de vice limiting the rotation-of said shaft, rewmdmgmechanism for said; spring including agear on the starter shaftrotatable by saidtransmission gear, a counter shaft, a clutch upon saidcounter'shaft, a floating screw, and means interposed between saidcounter shaft clutch and said floating screw controlling the saidcounter shaft clutch, substantially as described.

1 1. In mechanism of the class specified, the combination of anintermittently rotatable starting shaft, a transmission gear thereon, adriving spring connected to said shaft, escapement mechanism controllingthe movement of said shaft, a rewinding shaft geared to saidtransmission gear, a clutch controlling the said gear connection, andmeans interposedbetween the rewinding shaft and said spring forrewinding said spring when said clutch effects an engagement betweensaid rewinding shaft and said transmission gear, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FLOYD W. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, 1 Washington, D. C. a i

